Collected Reptiles

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Western Patchnose Snake

Salvadora Hexalepis

Habitat: Rocky desert arroyos, canyons, and hillsides in southwestern United States and Mexico. They tend to like places with cacti, thorn scrub, or saltbush vegetation.

Length: 26-35 1/2 inches long but can rarely be 3ft 10in.

Diet: Lizards, small snakes, reptile eggs, small mammals, and birds.

Venom toxicity: non venomous.

Cool Facts

The enlarged scale on their snout helps them dig in the dry to either uncover reptile eggs or excavate a tunnle.

They are a diurnal species with acute eyesight and are one of the few desert species that will be out during the scorching height of the day.

This species is very alert and can avoid many things by high tailing away. If they do get cornered they will inflate their neck. They can lunge to strike from a surprising distance although they have no venom they are said to have large rear fangs but they hold no venom.

Arroyos- A steep sided gully formed by the action of fast flowing water in an arid or semi arid region. Generally found in the southwestern US.

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Cape Cobra

Naja Nivea

Habitat: Arid grasslands, deserts, semi deserts, rocky hills, river beds, and coastal fynbos. They range from Eastern, Southern, and Central South Africa, Lesotho, Southern Namibia and Botswana.

Length: Males can reach 5ft 7 inches while females can get 4ft 7 inches.

Diet: Small mammals, snakes, lizards, amphibians, and weaverbirds.

Venom Toxicity: Dangerously venomous with postsynaptic neurotoxins, cytotoxins and potentially cardiotoxins.

Cool Facts

The Cape Cobra is a highly variable species that can be bright yellow, orange, brown, or reddish in color that is often speckled in black or brown. Totally black specimens have been spotted.

They are also called the Yellow Cobra although not all of them are yellow. Although they are a terrestrial species they are extremely agile climbers that tend to steal weaver bird eggs and chicks.

This species has one of the most toxic venoms of all african cobras. In some parts of the cape they are responsible for the deaths of sheep and other domesticated animals.

Bites to humans are rare but are extremely dangerous and can end tragically if not given antivenom.

They are oviparous with clutches of 8-20 eggs. Every individual can have different speckles or can be bare of speckles.

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Elegant Racer

Platyceps Elegantissimus

Habitat: Rocky wadis and hillsides in many parts of the Middle East (Southern Israel, Palestinian, SW Jordan and Northern Saudi Arabia).

Length: 19 3/4" - 23 3/4" long. They rarely get up to 27 1/2".

Diet: Lizards and possibly small mammals.

Venom Toxicity: non venomous.

Cool Facts

They mostly prey on terrestrial geckos but they may also prey on small rodents but its never been recorded.

This species is alert and fast moving that is rarely encountered in the wild. Therefore not much is known about their habits.

They've only been spotted in sandy habitats and due to the high daytime temperatures of that habitat it was thought this species was nocturnal. Although recent research suggests they may be diurnal.

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Banded Kukri Snake

Oligodon Arnensis

Habitat: Wet and dry forests, parks, and gardens in South Asia, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

Length: 13 3/4" - 27 1/2" long.

Diet: Lizards, snakes, small mammals, reptile eggs, and insects.

Venom toxicity: Non venomous

Cool Facts

All kukri snakes possess specialized "kukri-blade" teeth that helps them cut into reptile eggs that make up a good part of their diet.

As a species they are generally unaggressive but they can cause deep painful slash wounds with their specialized blade teeth.

At night they hunt for lizards, small snakes and mice in the leaf litter while during they day they generally shelter in tree holes, termite mounds, under logs, or in rocky crevices. Juveniles will also prey on insects and spiders.

They are an oviparous species and usually have clutches from 3-9 eggs.

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Lemon Tree Snake

Lycodryas Citrinus

Habitat: Dry forest on limestone karst outcrops in western Madagascar and the indian ocean.

Length: 18-27 inches.

Diet: Possibly lizards.

Venom Toxicity: Their venom composition is unknown but they are a rear fanged species with mild venom.

Cool Facts

They've been recorded to be a live bearer or viviparous with litters of 2 neonates.

They are believed to be a vulnerable species with some scattered localities, including 2 wildlife reserves, in Western Madagascar. They're threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture and cattle grazing but its main threat is collection for the pet industry.

Their venom composition, yeild, and toxicity is unknown although its not thought to be dangerous to humans.

Similar species have been recorded to prey on small chameleons and geckos.

In the pet industry it has been noted that getting them to eat can be very difficult and its mentioned that they will refuse anoles and mice.

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Yellow Headed Calico Snake

Oxyrhopus Formosus

Habitat: Primary and Secondary Rainforests, and cultivated gardens in South America, Colombia, Venezuela, Northern Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

Length: 31 1/2 - 35 inches (2ft 7 inches-2ft 9 inches)

Diet: Lizards and potentially other vertebrates.

Venom Toxicity: They are a rear fanged species with a mild slow acting venom. Its not known to be harmful to humans.

Cool Facts

The Microteiid Lizard is the only thing that the Yellow Headed Calico snake has been documented preying on. Other calico snakes will prey on frogs, snakes, and rodents so it is assumed they dont primarily prey on lizards.

They are also known as the Beautiful Calico Snake. This species is not well known in the wild. They may be terrestrial or semi arboreal and they may be nocturnal or crepuscular.

They are Oviparous and can have up to 17 eggs.

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Crested Gecko

Correlophus Ciliatus

Habitat: Rainforests in New Caledonia.

Length: 6 1/2-8 inches.

Diet: They eat vegetable material as well as fruit and nectar along with the usual gecko diet of insects.

Venom Toxicity: None.

Cool Facts

They are very popular in the pet industry because of their docile nature and many color morphs they come in.

They are rarely seen in the wild and were at one point thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in the 1990s.

They are a nocturnal species that hides in crevices during the day then come out to explore the forest canopy at night.

Their main threat in the wild is an invasive species of the little fire ant. Their numbers are still being assessed so we can have a better idea of their endangerment.

Some captive bred morphs include...

Bicolor

Red Harlequin

Dalmatian

Lily White

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Gharial

Gavialis Gangeticus

Habitat: Wide slow moving rivers in South Asia.

Length: They can get up to 20ft long and can weigh from 350-550 plbs.

Diet: Adults will eat mainly fish while juveniles also hunt insects, crustaceans, and frogs.

Venom Toxicity: none

Cool Facts

They have very long narrow jaws so they can quickly move it in the water to help them catch their prey and thekr 100 ish teeth also help them hold on to the slippery fish.

They were on the brink of extinction in the 1970s and even now their current range is only a small fraction of what it was. Many steps have been taken to preserve the species such as harvesting wild eggs then reintroducing the young back into the wild. The process ensures that almost all of the young survive the most dangerous part of their life so they have a greater chance of reaching adulthood.

Predation is not the biggest reason of their number decline. People have depleted the fish stocks in many river so much so that even with the egg harvesting and reintroduction that many of the young cant survive.

The Gharial is also known as a Gavial because of Europeans misreading. Gharial is derived from the word ghara meaning mud pot.

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Amazon Banded Snake

Rhinobothryum Lentiginosum

Habitat: Tropical rainforest in Northern South America, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

Length: 2ft 7in-5ft 2in long

Diet: Lizards

Venom Toxicity: They are rear fanged with a mild venom that is harmless to humans.

Cool Facts

They are rarely encountered in the wild. They tend to spend a lot of their time in the canopy far above the forest floor.

They are an arboreal and nocturnal species they primarily prey on arboreal lizards such as geckos, anoles, and tree runners.

This species is in the pet industry and are said to be decently docile when handled.

They are oviparous with small clutches of up to 3 eggs.

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Black-Banded Centipede Snake

Scolecophis Atrocinctus

Habitat: both wet and dry lowland and Montane tropical forests in Central America, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

Length: 17-19" long.

Diet: They prey exclusively on large venomous scolopendrid centipedes but they will also eat insects and arachnids.

Venom toxicity: They have rear fangs with a mild venom that is harmless to humans. Their mouth is too small to bite a human.

Cool Facts

They are oviparous and generally lay 7 eggs.

It is rare to see them and authorities debate on whether this species is diurnal (active in daytime), crepuscular (active during dusk and dawn), or nocturnal (active at night).

They are a terrestrial species but are occasionally seen climbing in low vegetation.

They are in the pet industry although many of them are wild caught with the rare occasion of captive bred specimens. They can be difficult to care for given their diet.

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Spotted Bushsnake

Philothamnus Semivariegatus

Habitat: Wet and dry forest and savanna, karoo scrub, coastal bush and forest, savannah woodland, semi desert, and riparian desert in sub Saharan Africa; Ethiopia and Sudan to Guinea and South Africa.

Length: 2-3 ft

Diet: Lizards and frogs

Venom toxicity: None

Cool Facts

They are an extremely active arboreal species that hunts geckos, chameleons, and frogs.

They are a diurnal snake that is often found in walls and ceilings of buildings near their habitat. Often times they are mistaken as a Green Mamba and killed needlessly. Spotted bushsnake juveniles are killed by domestic cats frequently when the cats find them in gardens.

Their belly scales or ventral scales are keeled that enable them to climb better.

In the height of summer a female will lay 3-12 eggs and when they hatch the young will live an average of 10 years.

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Golden Tailed Gecko

Strophurus Tacnicauda

Habitat: Open woodland and open forest in Australia.

Length: Almost 3 inches long.

Diet: Insects like flies and crickets.

Venom toxicity: None. When disturbed they will spray a putrid smelling brown, yellow, or orange from their tail to scare away any would be predator.

Cool Facts

The liquid they shoot from their tails is harmless and sticky but the smell is enough to deter most predators like native birds, cats, and dogs.

Scientists have reportedly found that if they mix the foul smelling liquid with ammonia to create an incredibly flammable substance.

They shelter under loose bark or in hollows during the day then go out to hunt insects at night.

Females will have about 2 eggs a season. They have been brought into the pet industry and can be kept communally.

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Ocellate Mountain Viper

Montivipera Wagneri

Habitat: rocky, grassy country mountain areas in eastern Turkey and NW Iran.

Length: up to 3 ft.

Diet: believed to be rodentia.

Venom toxicity: dangerous neurotoxin.

Cool Facts

They are endangered with habitat loss and the pet trade as the leading cause.

They are a very rare snake and were once thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in eastern Turkey in 1983.

Saint louis zoo successfully bred and hatched a clutch of 9 baby vipers.

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Mexican Alligator Lizard

Abronia Graminea

Habitat: the highland cloud forests of Veracruz and Pueba in Mexico.

Length: almost 10 inches

Diet: they hunt diurnal insects such as crickets and grasshoppers along with other insects when in captivity like meal worms and even snails.

Venom toxicity: none

Cool Facts

They are viviparous meaning their babies are fully grown and functional when they exit their mother. This species can have 7 to 12 babies each year.

They are found in densely vegetated forests in elevations around. 4,500-9,000 ft above sea level. The forests they primarily reside are also thick with a type of plant called a bromeliad.

They are a highly arboreal species that like to be 130 ft above the forest floor.

They are an endangered species but have been successfully bred in captivity.

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Five lined Skink

Eumeces Plestiodon Fasciatus

Habitat: in Georgia and south Carolina they are most common in wooded areas with a lot of fallen trees trees and stumps to hide in. They also like areas that are moister than the habitat the southeastern five lined skink.

Length: up to 8.5 inches

Diet: they eat a wide variety of insects, spiders, and other invertebrates.

Venom toxicity: none

Cool facts

Scientists believe they taste bad to predators.

They are diurnal and will avoid climbing as much as possible. They will only climb up stumps to bask.

Breeding males usually have a red orange head while juveniles will have a bright blue tail.

When a female lays her 4-15 eggs she will tend to them until they hatch.

Note* the pic above is a juvenile.

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Flying Gecko

Ptychozoon Khuli

Habitat: rainforests with high density of greenery in NE Cambodia, S Thailand, Myanmar, NE India, Malaysian peninsula, Nicobar islands, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Length: 4-7 inches

Diet: mainly crickets with mealworms, silkworms, phoenix worms, and earthworms in captivity.

Venom toxicity: none

Cool facts

They are very popular as pets given they rarely ever bite and come in beautiful colors. They will live 5 to 8 years.

They can glide up to 200 ft using their extra skin as a paracute.

This species also goes by gliding geckos or parachute gecko.

Note* the picture above is a luecistic flying gecko.

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Ashy Gecko

Sphaerodactylus Elegans

Habitat: loose leaf litter and rock pilesaround houses in Hispaniola and Cuba but has been introduced to Florida keys.

Length: up to 2 7/8th inches.

Diet: they will eat almost any insect that is attracted by light near a house.

Venom toxicity: none

Cool facts

They will lay their single eggs together in communal nests.

They are primarily diurnal but will sometimes be seen at night.

Early traders carried the species to the keys probably in shipments of produce or lumber.

Juveniles are so different in color to the adults they were once thought to be an entirely different species.